> SOUTHERN INDIANA — Thursday night the New Albany City Council will have to decide whether to appropriate $1.8 million in Economic Development Income Tax to cover the public safety expenses.

Funding, or a lack of it, is an ongoing problem for this city and county, like many others, and there is no end in sight. Tax revenues continue to fall short of projections. So do government budgets.

Three city departments — police, fire and communications — are finding that out. The three are on course to spend more money than what the council budgeted for 2010. That shouldn’t come as a shock to anyone, however, especially members of the council.

Whether the council approves the money is still up for debate. Following a work session last week, council members discussed the issue, but did not come up with a solution, or decide how they plan to vote. However, many believe they will vote against the measure, which will add more drama to an already strenuous relationship between the council and Mayor Doug England.

England has said if the money is not appropriated, there will have to be layoffs. It’s a game of political chicken, and residents of New Albany are being used as pawns in the game. They will eventually be the ones who suffer.

There is no way this city can afford to layoff police officers or firefighters. That would put all of us in danger. Politics need to give way for the betterment of the citizens.

Crime will not stop, or slow down, so how can the city do with fewer officers on the street?

It can’t.

The same with firefighters, who also serve as first responders. We depend on our public servants to keep us safe. However, if the mayor decides layoffs are necessary should the council fail to allocate the money, residents will be put in danger.

Without the funding the city council will have to reformat union contracts between police and fire and the city, or reduce service levels, said Deputy Mayor Carl Malysz. Those are the two choices.

But the administration believes annexing the Charlestown Road commercial corridor effective in 2012 will boost the general fund in 2013. Malysz also said the administration is working on two other annexation plans that would increase New Albany’s assessed property tax value by 40 percent.

Increased revenue would likely take care of the budget deficit. But what happens until that becomes reality?

Better management, or oversight, of individual department budgets is definitely needed. Overtime costs are blamed for much of the deficit in both police and fire departments. But we need to get a handle on that, discuss ways to offset the overtime or the costs, before we get to this point. It shouldn’t surprise anyone that the departments are operating over budget, so why wait until late in the year before making an issue of it? The administration and council members, along with union leaders from both departments, need to get together and discuss a plan. We don’t need to get to the point where the only two choices in solving the problem is to use $1.8 million in EDIT funds or layoff police officers or firefighters.

It’s called working together. Politics and personal feelings need to be put aside. These are critical times that require leadership, not political grandstanding.

The residents of this city deserve better from their leaders. Find a solution. Quit pointing fingers.



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Steve Kozarovich, publisher & executive editor

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